Artificial fish bait



Dem 118 11923. 11 477 756 C. HEDDON ET AL ARTIFICIAL .FISH BAIT FiledAug. 16, 1922 Patented Dec. is, teas.

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CRLES HEDDON AND WILLIAM A. STOLLEY, 0F DOWAGIAG, MICHIGAN.

ARTIFICIAL rrsn BAIT.

Application filed August 16, 1922. Serial No 582,107.

To all whomit may concern:

Be it known that we, .CHARLES HEnnoN and \VILLIAM A. STOLLEY, bothcitizens of t e United States, and residing at Dowagiac,

i the county of Cass'and State of Michigan, have invented-new and usefulImprovements in Artificial Fish Bait, of which the following is a full,clear, concise, and exact description, reference being hadto theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification. I

Our invention relates to improvements in artificial fish baits intendedmainly for casting for game fish, our main object being to provide afloating and diving bait having an active lively movement as it is drawnthrough the water which isinost fascinating to the fisherman andalluring to the fish.-

In carrying out the invention, in its preferred form, we make the bodyof the bait of a plurality of hingedly connected together to allow acertain flexibility of the body, particularly the rearward portion.which is comparatively long is theiinain or controlling section and isrelied on through its construction and operation,when drawn through thewater, positively to force the following swingand travel from side toresult that a very active or or worm-like movement ofthe bodyis secured.The forward section has a positive vibrating or oscillating movement ofits section or sections quickly to side, with the own, and furnishes thepower for and thus compels the other sections to swing quickly from sideto side.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the present preferred formof our invention- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the bait;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the sections in different relativepositions; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. The bait is madeof some buoyant material such as wood; in the-form shown in thesefigures the body portion of the bait, as a whole, is more or lesscigar-shaped, substantially circular in cross section, bulging at themiddle, tape-ring to a point at the rear and merging into a restrictedneck 10 at the front which joins with a projecting head 11 ofellipsoidal form extending downwardly and locatedsubstantia-llywhollybelow the central or medial line of the body. 7

Attached to the face of this head is a sections pivotally or The forwardsection lively sinuous cal pivoting of the sections,

sheet metal fin 12, the edge of which projects like a flange a shortdistance beyond the wooden head. The eye for the line tie is secured tothis sheet metal plate and in the particular position shown in thedrawing it is located below the axis or can't/er of gravity of the bait.Two small screws through the ends of the line'tie wire 13, extendingthrough the plate 12 and threading into the wooden head serve to securethe line tie and plate to the head. This central plate protects thefront end of the bait and permits accuracy of manufacture and thereforeuniformity of performanceof the baits.

' Glass eyes lt are mounted on the face of the head 11. i

In order to make the body flexible we divide it into a plurality'ofsections, in this instance three, to wit, a forward section 15, anintermediate section 16, and a tail or rear section 17.. These sectionsare pivotally connected by a narrow metal bar or strip 18, which may bea simple stamping from sheet metal, passing centrally through the middlesection 16, the ends of which strip extend into wide-mouthed recesses 19in the adjacent ends of the rear and forward sections 17 and 15.Suitable pins or screws 20 are inserted from the lower side of these twobait sections through holes in the ends of the bar 18. The recesses 19are widemouthed as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 .to permit thebar 18 to swing sufiiciently to either side of the central position. Thebar 18 is rigidly secured in the middle section by the tightness of thefit of the bar in the hole through that section, or it may be secured bypins or screws inserted from the bottom, or in any desired way, Therecesses 19 may be vertically enlarged toward their mouths to permit aslight vertithe looseness of the pin and hole connection at each end ofthe barperniitting such action. Freedom of the desired pivotal orhinging action of the sections is thus secured by this construction ofthe hinge or, pivot, while relative rotation of the sections isprevented The horizontally of the sections. By this constrliction of thepivotal connections between the sections there is a bodily shiftingrelatively-to, each other of the sections as the angular movementbetween them takes place,

as distinguished from the substantially fixed fulcrum relationship ofsections pivoted medially; but it will be understood that other methodsof pivoting the sections may be employed without departing from thespirit or scope of our invention, as expressed in some of the claims tofollow.

A hook 22, preferably a triple hook, is suspended from the lower side ofthe front section some distance from its rear end. The hook fastening isof a well-known socket type which permits the hook to swing to a limitedextent in all directions, but prevents it from swinging toward the bodyfar enough for its points or barbs to engage and mar the surface ofthebody.

A rear hook 23, also preferably triple, is

.suspended from a suitable fastening. at the rear.

As before noted, the forward section of r the bait is the commanding orcontrolling section. It is of such construction that in operation it hasa distinctive sidewise movement of its own, thus causing and compellingthe sections which follow to swing back and forth. This front section iscomparatively long. In the particular embodiment shown it is of greaterlength than the otherspracti cally half the length of the bait. Owing tothe wide down slanting front, the restricted neck, the'line tie, and therelation of these to the enlarged rearward portion ofthis section, thewater causes this forward section rapidly to vi brate or oscillate whenthe bait is drawn through the water, and this in turn, causes therearward sections to wiggle or wag actively from side to side and thebait as a whole to travel with a lively sinous movement. 4

Normally, or when at rest, the bait floats. When the bait is reeled init dives and travels beneath the surface, as described.

The faster it is drawn along, the deeper it will travel and the morelivelyits action. \Ve also prefer to suspend the hook 22 atsubstantially the center of vibration or oscillation of the forwardsection as shown in the drawing. In this position it acts somewhat as astabilizer for the forward .section and as a fulcrum or lever aboutaccentuates the sinous appearance of the baits course of travel.

:We preferably also so shape the adjacent ends of the sections and soseparate and mount them that the maximum lateral movement which theoscillating front sec-- section, assume a somewhat inclined positionwith its head down as it travels through the'water.

While the form, size and number ofsections may be varied, we prefer, andget the best results'from the three section body, the forward section ofwhich. is comparatively long and which by its positive operation compelsthe remaining section to act in the manner desired. The intermediate ormiddle section is comparatively short and permits a quick shifting indirection of movement from side to side. The tail section" is longerthan the middle section, is tapering toward the rear and carries thehook at its rear end. The three sections make a complete bait ofpleasing and ornamental appearance, which is suitable forcasting-purposes even though made in sections, and on which the hooksthough performing the other functions set forth, are still close enoughtogether to receive the strike of the fish. The small middle section maybe colored or painted differently from the two end sections to enhancethe startling appearance of the bait when moving through the water. Forexample, it may be painted black while the others are painted white oroflighter color, or it may be painted of a color invisible in the water.4

It will be understood that various forms, modifications and changeswithin the scope of the appended claims may be made without departingfrom the invention.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent:

1. An artificial bait having a buoyant body comprisinga plurality ofsections flexibly connected together to permit a wide lateral angularmovement between adjacent sections, the forward section being relativelylong and having at its forward end a relatively long and widedown-slanting front extending below the axis of the bait body andpresentin'g a large frontal surface to the water and inducing the baitto dive when drawn through the water, a line-tie on said down-slantingfront below the axial line of the body, said forward section beingconstructed to be the controlling section and to have a pronouncedsidewise or swimming movement and forcibly to cause the other sectionsto follow and the entire bait. to travel in a pronounced sinuous path asthe the ends,

- other, the

bait is drawn through the water, and hooks secured to the body.

2. An artificial bait having 'a' buoyant body comprising a plurality ofsections flexibly connected together to permit a wide lateral angularmovement between adjacent sections, the forward-section being relativelylong and having at its forward end a comparatively extending mainlybelow the axial line of the body and inducing the bait to dive whendrawn through the water, a line-tie on said down-slanting front locatedbelow the axial line of the'body, said forward section having anenlarged rearward portion and a contracted neck joining and merging intothe forward and rearward port-ions, said forward section being thecontrolling section and having a pronounced sidewise or swimmingmovement and forcibly causing the other sections to follow and theentire bait to travel in a pronounced sinuous path as the bait is drawnthrough the water, and hooks secured to the body.

3. An artificial bait having a buoyant body comprisinga tion bulgingatthe center and tapering at said body portion being divided into threesect-ions pivoted to'gether for lateral angular movement with respect toeach middle section being relatively short and the forward sectionrelatively long, the forward section having at "its forward end awidened down-slanting front extlending mainly' below the axial line ofthe b0 drawn through the water, a contracted neck joining and merginginto the saidfront portion and the enlarged rear portion of saidfrontsection, a line-tie on the downslanting front face of said frontportion, said forward section being-the controlling section and having apronounced sidewise or swimming movement and forcibly caus-' ing theother sections to follow andthe en-' tire bait to travel in a pronouncedsinuous path as the bait is drawn through the water, and hooks-securedto said body.

4. An artificial bait having a buoyant body comprising a plurality ofsections flexibly connected together for lateral angular movementbetween adjacent sections, the adjoining ends of said sections beingprovided with double beveled faces to permit said sections to makerelatively sharp angular bends with respect to each other, the forwardsection being constructed to be the controlling section andtohaveapronounced sidewise or swimming movement and-forcibly causing the otherscctionsto follow .and the entire bait to dive and to travel in apronounced sinuous path as the bait is drawn through the water and aline-tie on the forward section below the axial line of the body.

wide down-slanting front cigarshaped body por y and inducing the bait todive when' 5. An artificial bait having a buoyant body comprising aplurality of sections flexibly connected together to permit a widelateral bodily shifting-angular movement between adjacent sections, theforward section being relatively long and having at its forward end acomparatively long and wide downsslanting front presenting a largefrontal surface to the water and inducing the bait to dive when drawnthrough the water, a line-tie on said down-slanting front, said forwardsection being constructed to be the controlling section and to have apronounced sidewise or swimming movement and forcibly to cause the othersecin a pronounced sinuous path as the bait is drawn through the water,and hooks s'e cured to the body.

6.- An artificial bait having a buoyant body. comprising a plurality ofsections connected together to permit a. Wide lateralbodily shiftingangular movement between adjacent sections, the forward section beingrelatively long and having at its forward end a comparatively long andwide down-slanting front extending mainly below the axial line of thebody and presenting a largefrontal surface to the water and inducing thebait to dive when drawn through the water, a line-tie on saidd0wnslanting front, said front section being constructed to be thecontrolling section and to have a pronounced sidewise or swimmingmovement and forcibly to cause the other 399 sections to follow and theentire bait to travel in a pronounced sinuous path as the bait is drawnthrough the water, and hooks secured to the body.

,7. An artificial bait having a body comprising a plurality of sectionspivotally connected together to permit lateral angular movement withrespect to each other, the pivotal center of the angular movement of oneor more of said sections being away 310 from the end and toward themiddle of said section, the forward section being constructed to be thecontrolling section and to have a pronounced sidewise or swimmingmovement and forcibly causing the other sections to follow and the baitto have a pronounced bodily sinuous movement as it is drawn through thewater.

8, An artificial bait having a body comprising a plurality of sections,one or more of said sections having a flaring recess formed in the endthereof, and a member from the opposing end of the adjacent sectionextending into said recess and pivoted therein, to permit angularmovement between the sections, the forward section being constructed tobe the controlling section and to have a pronounced sidewise or swimmingmovement and forcibly causing the other sections to follow and the baitother planes, and hooks attached to the body.

10; An artificial bait having abody comprising a plurality of sections'flexibly connected together to permit lateral angular movement betweenadjacent sections, said flexible connections including an end of a'section having a recess therein widened lat-- erally but restrictedvertically, a flat member extending into the said recess from theopposite section and pivoted therein.

11. In an artificial bait, a wooden body having a plurality of sectionsa metal bar secured to and projecting from the end of one section into asuitable recess in the adjacent end of another section, and a transversepivot pin extending from the side of the latter section through a holein the end of said bar to pivotally connect the two sections.

12. In an artificial bait, a wooden body having three adjacent sections,a metal bar having flat ends passing through the intermediate sectionand projecting beyond the ends thereof, the adjacent ends of the othertwo sections having recesses to receive the flattened ends of said bar,and pivot pins extendingfrom the side of the latter sections throughsaid bars, wherebyto piv-v otally connect the three sections together.In witness whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names.

CHARLES HEDDON. WVILLIAM A. STOLLEY.

